It took almost a decade, one Hollywood flick and roughly a billion friends for Eduardo Saverin to agree on telling his side of the story about the founding of Facebook, the social-networking website that since 2004 has changed the way we communicate. Now, tens of billions of dollars later, the Brazil-born, Miami-bred billionaire finally addressed some of the topics that have been fueling people's imagination for years. Much of what people say about him is--he states--nothing but "Hollywood fantasy."

In a revealing, world-exclusive interview with reporter Fábio Altman published this weekend by Veja, Brazil's leading newsmagazine, Saverin explained that he never talked to the media before due to contract restraints with the other Facebook shareholders. Ready to set the record straight, and after months of negotiations, Saverin welcomed Altman and photographer Gilberto Tadday at his new multi-million dollar condo in Singapore, where he lives since 2009, which also serves as his office. He keeps connected to the world through his iPhone, iPad, and his 3 Mac displays, one of which is constantly running weather softwares about hurricanes and tsunamis, a childhood hobby deepened by the time when he saw how Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida, in 1992. "I was fascinated by it, and, already having some scientific knowledge, I was able to see the eye of the hurricane, literally."

Funny story: Saverin first made international headlines at the tender age of 13, when he beat a chess grandmaster during a match in Orlando. The fact was so unusual that he was mentioned on an article published by The International Chess Magazine. His parents’ best bit of the day: moments before delivering the checkmate, Saverin turned to his mother and asked, "Do you think it's alright if I win?"

Described by Altman as a shy, and yet strong-willed person, Saverin began his chat with the journalist explaining how his family immigrated to the United States from Brazil, in the early 1990s. Contrary to what has been said, the Saverins didn't choose to leave the South American nation because of kidnapping threats. "I've always wanted to live in the United States, that was a dream I decided to fulfill because Brazil was facing a crisis, [former president] Fernando Collor had just freezed all saving accounts, the situation wasn't easy," said Roberto Saverin, Eduardo's father, who now runs a Miami-based pharmaceutical drugs export business and was also interviewed by Altman.

Along with his wife, a psychologist, and his three children--Eduardo being the youngest one--Roberto settled in the Florida city which is a favorite destination for Brazilian tourists and immigrants. Only years after moving to the U.S. he found that his father and Eduardo’s grandfather, Eugênio Saverin, was on a list of potential kidnapping targets. A prominent Romanian Jew, Eugênio founded the chain of kidswear retailer Tip Top in São Paulo, in 1952. His entrepreneurial skills earned him, 50 years later, the title of official of the Order of Rio Branco, the highest honor that a Brazilian citizen can receive, which was given to the patriarch of the Saverin family by the then president Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

After making that clear, Saverin, who's worth an estimated $2 billion as of Forbes' last count, credited his grandparents for inspiring him to become successful. "All of us, always, ended up doing something," he proudly said, almost not realizing that his 'something' just became the most talked-about IPO in a decade, only eight years after being first registered as 'Thafacebook' at his parents' Miami home.

Following are some of the highlights from the interview.

On the choice of giving up his U.S. citizenship:

"The decision was strictly based on my interest of living and working in Singapore. I am obligated and I will pay hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes to the American government. I already paid and I will keep paying whatever taxes I owe based on my time as a U.S. citizen."

On this topic, Saverin's father, Roberto, told Altman how he feels about his son giving up his U.S. citizenship:

"It was hard for me, because of the life I built in the U.S., hearing from Eduardo that he had to give up on his citizenship. But he did this not because he wanted to, but because he had no other choice as a foreigner living in Singapore, where financial transactions are more restricted and bureaucratic for those who hold a U.S. passport. There was no other way. Besides, after Facebook's IPO, there would be much pressure on him if he stayed in America."

"I have only good things to say about Mark, there are no hard feelings between us. His focus on the company since its very first day is anything short of admirable. He was a visionary, he always knew that the only way for Facebook to grow was to maintain its central idea, that of people truly presenting themselves as they are, without nicknames or pseudonyms. That's Facebook's biggest strength, what allowed us to transform it into an instrument of protest, like what happened in Egypt, but also in an instrument of business, not to mention a way of naturally connecting with friends."

On keeping a low profile on his Facebook page, where he's 'liked' by 1.4 million people:

"I don't like showing my privacy online."

On his current investments:

“I am investing like a crazy person, mostly in internet start-ups. And I want to invest in Brazil as well, because I am Brazilian and that's in my heart. I've recently been cc'd on e-mails sent to Eike Batista [Brazil's richest man]. But that's not how I want to invest in Brazil, through minerals, unless it's silicon or something tech-related. And I believe there's a new Facebook out there to be found. Where? My guess is in healthcare."

On the movie 'The Social Network,' where he is portrayed by American-English actor Andrew Garfield:

"That's Hollywood fantasy, not a documentary. Facebook wasn't built out of a Harvard dorm window. And I would never throw a laptop at someone, like it appears in the movie. Not even at Mark."

I'm a journalist covering everything from media issues to the world of that very particular group of people who are just as rich as they are media shy. I also write about my native country of Brazil and its growing importance as a global player, from a Brazilian-who-spends-a...